Carmen Hall: Free coverage of Rugby World Cup All Blacks is awesome for the sport

All of the Bay of Plenty will be cheering on All Black loose forward Sam Cane during the Rugby World Cup. Photo / File

Rugby World Cup fever is upon us.

I think it shows great camaraderie when the nation rallies together to cheer on our sporting heroes. But will I be stoned in the street for saying my knowledge about the All Blacks waned many years ago when their matches stopped being aired live, for free?

I fondly remember getting up in the early hours of the morning with my dad to watch test matches on our 20-inch colour TV.

He was a massive fan and rugby mad. In my childhood, my younger sister and I spent most Saturday mornings cutting up oranges and helping him prepare his medical kit for the premier senior rugby team he managed.

Sometimes we would jump in the back of his Valiant and attend the matches at the Gore Showgrounds. Rowdy supporters would rattle the tin fence and sup from big bottles of DB and Speights while us kids got up to mischief in the old grandstand.

During his lifetime he also attended many test matches in New Zealand including the controversial 1981 Springbox Tour - usually in a bus with fellow rugby supporters.

I miss those days. But I am very happy to see 14 of the 48 Rugby World Cup matches will be available free, including all of the All Blacks' games.

This is fantastic news as not everyone can afford to pay to watch it or go to the pub to see it on the big screen.

Another bonus for the Bay of Plenty is Sam Cane who will take up one of the loose forward spots against the Springboks in Yokohama tonight.

His rise to the top and return to the game has been nothing short of remarkable after recovering from a broken neck during a test last October - don't jinx it against the Springboks.

If Cane's injury had been slightly more severe or in a different part of his neck, he might never have walked again. That mental strength and fortitude in my view makes him a true Kiwi champion.

So I will be watching the All Blacks and cheering them on with renewed vigour and hope they stomp home and win their third Rugby World Cup.

Go the mighty All Blacks!